Doc recommends reversal of Ivler’s colostomy

MANILA, Philippines—The intestinal inflammation of road rage murder suspect Jason Ivler has eased as his doctors are gearing up for the reversal of his colostomy, subject to approval of a Quezon City court.

This was indicated in a brief report of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to Judge Luisito Cortez of Regional Trial Court Branch 84 on Ivler’s hospital visit Thursday, his second since the week before.

The 29-year-old accused was brought from Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City to the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City for a follow-up checkup to determine if he is fit to undergo surgery to reverse his colostomy.

In the one-page letter to the court, jail warden Senior Inspector John Conrad Basilio said Dr. Romeo Abary examined Ivler anew and conducted a second colonoscopy to examine the patient’s intestines.

It was discovered that the previous inflammation of Ivler’s gastrointestinal tract or diversion colitis has improved after being given antibiotics for a week.

The same doctor prescribed another round of the same medication—metronidazole—for another week to heal the inflammation.

“To undergo reversal of colotomy,” read part of the doctor’s remarks which Basilio also submitted to the court.

Ivler was escorted by seven jail officers as indicated in Basilio’s medical pass for the accused.

The complete results of the follow-up medical examination will be discussed in court on December 2.

The court earlier ordered the second hospital visit for Ivler to determine if he was well enough to undergo surgery for the reversal of his colostomy, should the court grant it.

Ivler, through his lawyers, has repeatedly asked the courts to allow him to undergo the surgery to allow him to defecate through his anus and no longer through a colostomy bag.

Doctors performed a colostomy on Ivler a year ago after he was wounded in a gunfight with arresting officers inside the house of his mother Marlene Aquilar, sister of folk singer Freddie Aguilar, in Blue Ridge, Quezon City on January 18, 2010.

Ivler was charged with murder in connection with the killing of Renato Victor Ebarle Jr. along Santolan Road on November 18, 2009.

Ebarle was the son of Renato Ebarle Sr., an undersecretary at the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff during the Arroyo administration.

The surgery to reverse Ivler’s colostomy is expected to cost between P500,000 to P800,000 if performed at a government hospital.